BILL ANALYSIS

 

 

Senate Research Center	S.B. 2177
86R11365 CAE-D	By: Kolkhorst
	Criminal Justice
	4/22/2019
	As Filed

 

 

 

AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT

 

Currently, the Victoria County and Goliad County juvenile boards are governed by separate enabling laws that describe the general  duties and powers of these boards but are silent on the specific authority to operate jointly with adjacent counties to fulfill certain functions.

 

Recently, the juvenile boards of Goliad and Victoria counties have been operating under an inter‑local agreement that allows Victoria Juvenile Department to provide juvenile services to the Goliad Juvenile Probation Department. The Goliad Juvenile Probation Department has a small population of juveniles on supervision and the ability for both departments to operate jointly will allow for increased efficiency and cost savings with respect to management and staffing.

 

S.B. 2177 makes technical changes to the respective statutes for the Goliad and Victoria Juvenile Boards by allowing both juvenile boards to operate together on all matters and to allow both boards to appoint one fiscal officer to administer funding. S.B. 2177 also amends the Victoria County Juvenile Board by removing the requirement that the juvenile court judge serve as both the chairman of the juvenile board and its chief administrative officer. S.B. 2177 allows for the Victoria County Juvenile Board to elect one of its members as the chairman of the board.

 

S.B. 2177 will allow for the Victoria County Juvenile Board and Goliad County Juvenile Board to operate jointly in a manner that will yield cost savings and ensure better treatment and rehabilitation services for juveniles in Goliad County.

 

As proposed, S.B. 2177 amends current law relating to the operation of the juvenile boards of Goliad and Victoria Counties.

 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

 

This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, institution, or agency.

 

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

 

SECTION 1. Amends Section 152.0941, Human Resources Code, by amending Subsection (c) and adding Subsection (d), as follows:

 

(c) Provides that Sections 152.0002 (Board Meetings), 152.0004 (General Expenses), and 152.0005 (Expenses of Board Members and Juvenile Court), rather than Sections 152.0002, 152.0004, 152.0005, 152.0006 (Fiscal Officer), 152.0007 (Duties), and 152.0008 (Personnel), do not apply to the juvenile board of Goliad County.

 

(d) Authorizes the juvenile board of Goliad County and the juvenile boards of one or more counties that are adjacent to or in close proximity to Goliad County to agree to operate together with respect to all matters, or with respect to certain matters specified by the juvenile boards. Authorizes juvenile boards operating together to appoint one fiscal officer to receive and disburse funds for the boards.

 

SECTION 2. Amends Section 152.2411, Human Resources Code, by amending Subsections (b) and (f) and adding Subsection (g), as follows:

 

(b) Requires the juvenile board to elect one of its members as chairman of the board, rather than providing that the juvenile court judge is the chairman of the board and its chief administrative officer.

 

(f) Provides that Sections 152.0002, 152.0004, and 152.0005, rather than Sections 152.0002, 152.0004, 152.0005, 152.0006, 152.0007, and 152.0008, do not apply to the juvenile board of Victoria County.

 

(g) Authorizes the juvenile board of Victoria County and the juvenile boards of one or more counties that are adjacent to or in close proximity to Victoria County to agree to operate together with respect to all matters, or with respect to certain matters specified by the juvenile boards. Authorizes juvenile boards operating together to appoint one fiscal officer to receive and disburse funds for the boards.

 

SECTION 3. Effective date: upon passage or September 1, 2019.